Autopilot systems are used to control the trajectory that a vehicle travels without the human operator constantly having their hands on the steering wheel. An autopilot system does not replace the human operator but instead allows the human operator to focus on a broader spectrum of tasks.
Autopilot systems require sophisticated human operators to configure them and to interact with them using, for example, some type of graphical user interface display, such as a touch screen. For example, the sophisticated human operators need to read long and complicated user manuals that describe, among other things, how to install optical sensors, perform various operations using the graphical user interface display such as tare calibration, flow calibration, pitch/roll calibration, weight test, enter the type of crop that will be harvested, create variety maps of the field, monitor displayed statistics, enter the type of the vehicle, the offset from the axle to the antenna, the antenna height, the wheel base, select antenna type, elevation mask, SNR mask, RTK base station information, radio frequency, among others. An expert may need to be hired to assist in training the human operator on how to interact with the graphical user interface display and on how best to configure the autopilot system.
The autopilot systems cost in the range of $10,000 to $50,000. These expensive autopilot systems come with higher end vehicles that cost anywhere from $300,000 to a $1,000,000 each. Further, these higher end vehicles and their corresponding expensive autopilot systems require a high level of user sophistication. Only very large and profitable farming establishments can afford these expensive autopilot systems and higher end vehicles. These types of vehicles and autopilot systems are frequently used in large commercial farms that have large fleets of vehicles.
Further, due to the complex nature and expense of these conventional autopilot systems and the vehicles, these conventional autopilot systems are typically integrated with the vehicle at the time that the vehicle is manufactured.